This is a online journal of a scoutmaster's thoughts on over 36 years as a Boy Scout Leader.

The Scouting Village Collection

Fifteen years ago I collected pieces of the Department 56 Dickens Village Collection, the Christmas Carol pieces in particular. For a few years I enjoyed setting up my buildings around Christmas time, and I believe people enjoyed it when they paid a visit to my home. It was a lot of work setting it up because I hard a fair number of building, trees, people, and other pieces. It also took up a fair portion of my living room. After a few years I quit setting it up and no longer added pieces to the collection. It now sits in a cabinet in the basement.

I noticed that this year the Boy Scouts of America store at scoutstuff.org has begun their own Scouting Village collection. This first year (?) begins with three pieces for Scouts and Scouters to own: the lighted Chapel House, the lighted Trading Post, and the lighted Camp Ranger Cabin. (Click on the links to go to the scoutstuff.org page.)

I like the Trading Post and the Ranger Cabin, but I have never been at a Scout camp that has a small enclosed church. Even here in Minnesota the Scout camp chapels are usually outing settings, like a campfire ring, or a building open on at least three sides to keep the outdoors feel to the service. In other words, your rain jacket may be required at your religious services. But maybe I am looking this the incorrectly. The website states, “A yard sign beside the steps proudly boasts the message “Scouts Meet Here.” so maybe this is meant to be a troop meeting place.

I wonder how long the Scout Shop plans to continue with this series, and how many pieces it plans to release each year. Are the pieces to be sold for one only year, with new pieces introduced each year? Will there be “people” pieces? Trees and shrubbery? Tents, beach fronts, and climbing towers? The buildings have snow on them so I would guess there will not be any beach front pieces.

I cannot help but think that this series is about ten years too late. Are the various village collections even popular anymore? Am I just out of the loop? Oh well, at least the Scouting Village pieces are reasonably priced at only $12.99 each. I think they could make for fun Christmas presents. What do you think about them?

12 Responses to “The Scouting Village Collection”

Wow, I saw those on that site too and I couldn’t stop thinking about them so I searched and found your blog! 🙂

I’m thinking about buying those if I can order them to sweden, they are cute and I hope they will keep selling those next year, and the year after that and so on.. 🙂

Sounds cool that you had a big collection set up in your livingroom!! And how is it to be a scoutmaster? I’ve been a scout in eight years I think, if I put everything together and I took a scout leadership training a while ago so I can step into the role as a scoutleader as well one day. One big dream!

But I’m very curious what it is like to be one and we don’t have boy and girlscouts in sweden so I will keep reading your blog, it must be interesting! You don’t mix your scout groups with boys and girls together in U.S, is that correct? 🙂

I LOVE this village. I am married to an Eagle Scout and my son is a Webelo II in cub scouts. I just got on to order the entire village and I am week too late for the Camp Ranger Cabin & the Trading Post. They are sold out. If anyone has a source to get these 2 items, it would be much appreciated. I want the WHOLE set.
Thanks

I am upset that I waited so long after receiving the catalog last week. The original 3 are sold out and will no longer be available through Scouts as they were “Last Chance” from 2012. I called my local Scout shop and was told that they had them in stock, but were “on hold”. I checked eBay and sure enough… they’re going for $50-$100 a piece. What’s upsetting is that the sellers seem to have these hoarded in order to make a profit off of genuine Scout families and friends. I called the main number and asked them about their “hold” policies and whether or not there are limits. Still waiting for that call back…

Just found out about these also, missed them last year, and don’t recall getting a recent catalog. Will have to keep an eye out for a better deal on ebay. And I guess I better order this year’s pieces right now!

Same here – should’ve called when I first got the catalog, but sounds like they were sold out before that (last week our catalog arrived). My boys love putting up their own lighted houses, so I thought they would love these since they’re a little more in line with their interests than typical porcelain lighted holiday houses. Oh well. Buying the tent at least for this year.

I too would LOVE to have the pieces from the 2012 collection. I just purchased this years set. I am a mother of two Eagle Scouts but with three enrolled in college I can not afford eBay prices. With as many people looking for them please bring them back one more time!!!!!!

I would love to also have the set. Need the trading post and anything else. Where do you even look? Sounds like e-bay is not the way to go? Any other ideas?
What all is there. Trading Post, Tent and Ranger cabin? What else? How many people?

I ordered the tent but sadly the Central Florida Scout Shop is out of the trees and bridge. I attempted to order them online but they are out of stock. I started the collection last year, missed out on the trading post……had to buy it on eBay…..hopefully the online store will offer them again. If anyone sees it come up on the website, send out a shout.

Hello friends,
I was looking for the Scout Village again this year to try to complete my collection and there have been 3 new pieces added this year. A popcorn tree, a dining hall, and a tree sale stand. They are all available on line right now along with the other houses from last year. Ebay is selling them for $80.00-$250.00 for each house but they are now available at the scoutstuff.org for $79.00 for the past set. Happy Holiday Scouters!